WASA: No final approval for Vale View

The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) yesterday issued a release stating that it granted outline approval and not final approval for the proposed development situated at Vale View Terrace, off St Lucien Road, Diego Martin. WASA stated that, “the outline approval committed the Authority to provide a scheduled water supply to serve the development on condition that the developer installed water and wastewater infrastructure to given specifications.” WASA said that the developer was required to submit detailed design drawings of the water reticulation system; design data and detailed design conditions and drawings of the wastewater disposal system and design plans isometric drawings of the building sanitary drainage plumbing to the Plumbing Inspectorate. These conditions had to be met in order for the developer to receive final approval from the Authority. WASA has not yet issued final approval to the developer. The Authority also said that its final approval is contingent upon prior approvals of other agencies such as the EMA, Town and Country Planning, Fire Services and the Drainage Division.

Diego Martin Regional Corporation’s Chairman Bridgette Anisette-George on Tuesday, instructed that work at Vale View come to an immediate halt and for Vale View developer Gowkaran Mahabir to repave the terrace which he had dug up the week before. Tuesday’s stop notice was the second issued to Mahabir by the corporation after it was noted that construction of townhouses was taking place on the hillside without the corporation’s knowledge or permission. Residents of the area were protesting the construction of apartment buildings on the hillside which they said posed a serious threat to nearby properties because of the danger of landslides and which were causing huge traffic jams and inconvenience to residents. The residents also stated that the developer’s concrete mixers and trucks were mounting the sidewalks and blocking the entrances to roads and gateways. According to Anisette-George, after the stop notice was served, Mahabir was instructed to carry out “restoration work” — with police presence — to repair the “substantial scarring” of the hillside. He was also ordered to clear clogged drains on St Lucien Road and to put in a box drain on Vale View as per the requirements of his Town and Country Planning Division outline permission.  On Thursday police officers from the West End Station were present to supervise the repaving of the terrace by the developer.